GEAR, Mabel

1898 - 1998

Mabel Gear, was born at Ashby Rectory, Suffolk on 26 August 1898, youngest of three daughters of Lucas George Gear and his wife Annie Margaret née McJannet, who married at St Pancras, London in 1894, Annie had been Lucas's housekeeper at Stock, Essex when their eldest daughter Dorothy was born. In 1901, a 3 year old, living at Ashby Rectory with her parents, 55 year old Lucas, of independent means, and 37 year old Annie, and two siblings, Dorothy 10, born London and Muriel 6, born Hunton, Kent. In 1911, the family were living at New Town Lodge, Winnock Road, Colchester, Essex when 13 year old Mabel was a student. She studied at Colchester School of Art under Septimus Power (1877-1951) and at Herkomer Art School, Bushey, Hertfordshire. A decorative painter of birds and animals and elected an associate of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters 1925 and a full member the following year, and a full member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours in 1927. Mabel exhibited at the Goupil Gallery; Liverpool Walker Art Gallery; Royal Academy; Royal Institute of British Artists; Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours; Royal Scottish Academy and the Society of Women Artists, from Babbacombe, Devon 1920 and 1926, from Bushey, Hertfordshire 1922 and from Tadley, Hampshire in 1929. She married at Ware, Hertfordshire in 1933, Sidney Walter Barker (1896-1975) and Mabel died in Nottinghamshire on 10 October 1998.